Kendra and Bailey using their fitness to run with, or away, from the Bulls in Spain.

CROSSOVER SYMMETRY: WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

This may not be a news flash, but CrossFit can be hard on the shoulders. At Verve, we take your shoulder health seriously! For those of you that do not know, we have 13 Crossover Symmetry units for you to use to help keep your shoulders healthy, wealthy, and wise. We are going to take some excerpts directly from their website so you can see how Crossover Symmetry can help you and your shoulder pain. Please note: We are not advocating you utilize Crossover Symmetry in lieu of seeking help from a physical therapist. If the pain persists, please seek help from a professional.

WHAT IS CROSSOVER SYMMETRY GOOD FOR?

ROTATOR CUFF WEAKNESS/FATIGUE

The primary function of the rotator cuff is to keep the ball of the humerus in the shoulder socket throughout a full range of motion. If the rotator cuff is weak or fatigued, the humeral head tends to move upwards excessively and closes off the subacromial space. The WOD listed above would undoubtedly fatigue the rotator cuff and reduce its ability to perform the primary function of keeping the ball centered in the socket. Crossover Symmetry will improve the muscular endurance of these stabilizing muscles to help athletes withstand demanding workouts with repetitive overhead movements.

FORWARD SHOULDER POSTURE

Poor shoulder posture from a lifestyle with the shoulders rounded forward (e.g. driving, sitting at a desk, texting, ect.) results in a combination of tight chest muscles, weak upper back muscles, and poor thoracic spine mobility. This creates a dysfunctional position which alters the proper movement of the scapula and has been shown to cause a reduction in the subacromial space during overhead motions, resulting in shoulder impingement.

DELTOID DOMINANCE VS. ROTATOR CUFF

The deltoid is the primary muscle involved when elevating the arm overhead. The deltoid moves the ball upward in the socket during arm elevation, which must be balanced by the opposing pull of the rotator cuff muscles (See image below). If the pull of the deltoid vs. rotator cuff are not balanced, the ball will move upward in the socket, further narrowing the subacromial space. CrossFit™ training places a huge emphasis on deltoid strength through an abundance of dynamic overhead movements such as the push press, hand stand push-ups and Olympic lifting. The nature of this training develops the deltoid to a greater degree than the rotator cuff resulting in a muscular imbalance that may lead to shoulder impingement issues.

SCAPULAR MUSCLE IMBALANCE

Scapular Dyskinesis describes poor movement of the scapula often due to muscular imbalances of the upper back. The upper trapezius, lower trapezius and serratus anterior muscles work together to rotate the scapula upwards allowing the arm to move overhead (See image below). Much like a tripod, the three legs work together to form a stable platform; however, when one of the legs is off balance, the stability of the base is compromised. CrossFit™ athletes often have strong upper traps compared to their lower traps, resulting in limitations in the ability to upwardly rotate the scapula when going overhead. Recent research has shown an increased risk for shoulder injury when the upper trap is significantly stronger than the lower trap.

HOW TO USE CROSSOVER SYMMETRY When in doubt, ask one of the trainers how to use it!! Rolling out and mobilizing will only get you so far, you must strengthen the surrounding structures and Crossover Symmetry is the way to do it. HAVE FUN GETTING SCAPJACKED!!